Why You Should Think Twice Before Using Your Oven’s Self-Cleaning Setting

Key Takeaways

• Steam cleaning avoids harsh chemicals and protects your oven’s enamel interior.

• A simple water-and-steam technique makes stuck-on food wipe away effortlessly.

• You can replicate steam cleaning even if your oven lacks a steam-clean mode.

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For years, I stopped cleaning my oven. I hated running the built-in self-cleaning function or spraying on chemicals because my house would smell for days.

My oven’s “self-clean” mode uses extremely high heat to turn interior grime to powdery ash. The cycle takes hours plus a long cooldown, during which, Maytag points out, “You should expect some smoke and odor from your oven.” I call that an understatement. The process puts out enough smoke and heat that oven manufacturers recommend keeping pets and children out of the kitchen, but they also advise against leaving the oven unattended—just in case.

With those warnings ringing in my ears, I found an alternative: steam clean the oven.

Chemicals and Heat Can Cause Damage

Oven manufacturers usually advise against chemical oven cleaners. They’re caustic enough that you need to wear long rubber gloves, protect the kitchen floor, and ventilate well. There’s even the potential that these cleaners will damage the oven’s enamel interior enough to void its warranty.

Maytag says its self-cleaning ovens “utilize only heat—no chemicals—and are built to withstand high temperatures. They’re also built for safe use.” However, many appliance repair professionals warn that the setting’s use can lead to expensive repairs. There’s also legwork that goes into running the self-cleaning cycle, including taking out oven racks, clearing the stovetop, and ventilating well.

On the other hand, there’s steam cleaning. Some ovens even have an additional steam clean mode. My GE gas range lacks this feature, but it’s easy to replicate. Whirlpool recommends steaming two cups of water in an oven-safe pot or bowl at 450ºF for 20 minutes. I didn’t find that effective enough, so I’ve tweaked the method for better results.

How I Maximize Steam Cleaning

After I tried Whirlpool’s technique, I wiped some debris away, but greasy residue remained. Whirlpool recommends steaming distilled white vinegar for extra cleaning power, but I’ve canned enough pickles to know hot vinegar has its own stink.

Instead, I poured 1 1/2 inches of water into a metal pan, let it steam at 450ºF for 60 minutes, and then let the oven cool for 45 minutes before I opened the door. The interior glass wiped clean, and stuck-on food released effortlessly from the enamel floor.

I mostly bake bread and roast vegetables, and my oven doesn’t have the greasy buildup created by regularly baking bacon or roasting chicken. So I steam-cleaned my sister’s super-greasy oven on my last visit. After steaming and a little scrubbing with a vinegar-soaked cloth, the family excitedly looked through the oven door and watched pizza baking inside. We plan to steam-clean our ovens quarterly so that we never again resort to harsh chemicals or a smoky self-cleaning setting.

Read the original article on Simply Recipes